Opposition politicians have branded Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP conference speech “disappointing and negative”.
And the Scottish Conservatives have claimed the first minister has given up her job as first minister and is only concerned about independence.
The first minister gave a speech to a packed hall at the AECC in Aberdeen earlier today where she outlined her reasons for calling for a second independence referendum.
Ms Sturgeon declared Scotland’s future “must be Scotland’s choice” as she sought to rally support for a fresh vote on the country leaving the UK.
But now, following her speech, the Tories have claimed the first minister has forgotten about the responsibilities of her position.
Jackson Carlaw MSP, the Tories’ deputy leader, said: “This is the week that Nicola Sturgeon gave up being First Minister and instead put her obsession with independence before the day job.
“This was a disappointing and negative speech. Nicola Sturgeon seems to be more interested in complaining about the UK government than talking up her own.
“The SNP spends so much time plotting games over separation, it now relies on other parties for policies – our plan calling for mental health workers in GP practices and A+Es was published barely three months ago.
“It is flattering that the SNP are catching up, but that does not mask the fact that the vast bulk of this speech was yet another rallying call for independence.
“We now have a part-time first minister claiming to speak for Scotland, but in fact pursuing her own narrow agenda to the detriment and against the wishes of ordinary Scots.”
In her speech, Ms Sturgeon said she recognised the prospect of a second referendum had split the country and sparked resentment and anxiety among many voters.
But in her keynote speech to the SNP’s spring conference in Aberdeen, she said she had been left with no choice by the UK Government’s refusal to negotiate.
Ms Sturgeon said efforts to secure a post- Brexit deal for Scotland to stay in the single market and gain substantial new powers had “met with a brick wall of intransigence”.
And she fired another shot at Prime Minister Theresa May – who this week rejected the plans for a referendum by the spring of 2019 saying “now is not the time” to reopen the question of independence.
Ms Sturgeon said she was open to discussion over the date but insisted “there will be a referendum”.
MSPs are expected to approve a formal request for permission to hold the vote next week.
